Today I’m delighted to be sharing an excerpt from Janet Wertman’s newly released novel Nothing Proved as part of a blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club. Nothing Proved is the first book in Janet’s Regina series explores Elizabeth Tudor’s journey from bastard to queen.

Blurb

Danger lined her path, but destiny led her to glory…

Elizabeth Tudor learned resilience young. Declared illegitimate after the execution of her mother Anne Boleyn, she bore her precarious position with unshakable grace. But upon the death of her father, King Henry VIII, the vulnerable fourteen-year-old must learn to navigate a world of shifting loyalties, power plays, and betrayal.

After narrowly escaping entanglement in Thomas Seymour’s treason, Elizabeth rebuilds her reputation as the perfect Protestant princess – which puts her in mortal danger when her half-sister Mary becomes Queen and imposes Catholicism on a reluctant land. Elizabeth escapes execution, clawing her way from a Tower cell to exoneration. But even a semblance of favor comes with attempts to exclude her from the throne or steal her rights to it through a forced marriage. 

Elizabeth must outwit her enemies time and again to prove herself worthy of power. The making of one of history’s most iconic monarchs is a gripping tale of survival, fortune, and triumph.

Excerpt

September 7, 1553

“Wait for me,” Elizabeth said to her ladies before walking into the octagonal Council Chamber. Like the other royal apartments at Richmond Palace, the sunlit room overlooked a large internal courtyard. But this was not the time to admire the view. She had been summoned to meet with a group of Councilors and she needed all her wits to withstand the pressure they would undoubtedly place on her.

She scanned the faces crowded around the table – Gardiner, Arundel, Derby, Sussex, the Bishop of Duresme. All Catholics. Mary’s initial gratitude to her supporters had led her to promise that people would be allowed to worship as they chose. But every day she spent on the throne added to her conviction that the Lord had given her victory to return His flock to the fold of Rome. She was now moving quickly to impose papism throughout the land, hastening the departure of thousands of French, Flemish, and German Protestants that had flooded to England during Edward’s reign. Many of her early supporters were seeing their jubilation turn to fear and anger.

Elizabeth forced a smile onto her face. “Gentlemen,” she said with a small curtsy.

The group deferred to Gardiner to reply, the man to whom Mary had entrusted supreme religious and secular power. “My Lady,” he said, with a nod.

“How may I help you?” Elizabeth asked. Realizing how hard her voice sounded, she adopted a friendlier tone. “Is this a way of celebrating my birthday?”

A mean smile flitted across Gardiner’s face. “Why would we do that?” He shook his head. “No, we ordered you here because we have reason to be concerned about your religious practices.”

Even though she had expected this accusation, she had to stifle a gag. “What have I done that might concern you?”

It is what you have not done,” Gardiner said. “You have not attended Mass.”

“I pray every day for the belief that will allow me to do that. Until then, it would dishonor my soul to dissemble.”

No need to mention that she did not intend that day would ever come. Elizabeth recoiled at the idea of embracing a religion that bastardized her. She also worried what the people would say if she capitulated to the Catholics. Now that she could see a path to the throne before her, she wanted to keep it clear. Reform had dug deep during the past twenty years, deeper than Mary recognized, and the people looked to Elizabeth to stand firm for them, as Mary had stood for the Catholic voice during Edward’s reign. Elizabeth needed to avoid the Mass as best she could.

Gardiner sneered. “Dissemble?”

“I was raised in a different faith,” she said.

“You were raised in exactly this faith,” Gardiner said. “The Mass you are expected to attend is no more than the one your father mandated. You have no excuse.”

Like a horse being dragged too hard by its bridle, Elizabeth reared. “When I was the tender age of eight, my father married a woman who taught me to question traditional doctrine,” she said. “And my father himself told me he expected his son to push reforms still further, which indeed my brother did. I have been a long time in the new learning, and it will take some time for my heart to embrace popery.”

“It is not popery,” Gardiner said.

Elizabeth raised her chin. “I have heard talk of a return to Rome.”

Gardiner scowled at her down the length of the table. “Gossip about a potential future does not affect your obligations in the present.”

“I cannot without belief,” she said. Surely that would be enough for a churchman.

“Your belief is irrelevant. This concerns your attendance.”

Elizabeth ignored the burning eyes. Gardiner was a bully. “Surely my sister will show me the same courtesy that our brother showed to her during his reign. She was never required to attend Reform services.”

“Your brother made no secret of his intention to deprive his subjects of the Mass,” Gardiner said. “I spent most of his reign in the Tower for failing to comply with his government’s heresies. And the Queen almost suffered my same fate.”

“But she did not,” Elizabeth said. “She continued to hear Mass.”

“The courtesy stemmed not from her position but from the King’s age. Our Queen is an adult and entitled to compliance.” Gardiner leaned in, threatening. “You will attend Mass tomorrow.”

He spoke the last sentence in a normal tone of voice, but it hit her like a shout. She stood there, open-mouthed, remembering how Edward had softened at Mary’s tears. Only now did Elizabeth realize that Mary would be harsher.

“The people will see you bend your knee, or they will see you punished for it,” Gardiner continued. “The choice is yours.”

The calm with which he spoke, and the line he had drawn, shook Elizabeth to the core. With stakes such as these, she had no choice. She would find ways to let her followers know her heart was not in it.

“I will attend Mass tomorrow,” she said.

The triumphant smile on Gardiner’s face was twisted by his sneer. “Fine. We will see you then.”

She curtsied and left quickly, her ladies quickly falling in behind her. When they were halfway down the hallway, Catherine Knollys whispered loudly. “What happened?”

Elizabeth shook her head and held her tongue until they were back in her apartments and the door was closed. Only then did Elizabeth close her eyes and allow the tears to well. “I had to agree to attend Mass.”

“How will you do this?”

“I can sit in a pew without engaging my soul,” Elizabeth said. Observance did not require belief, it only rendered to Caesar the things that were his. Elizabeth’s martyrdom would serve no one, least of all the Lord.

“What of the rest of us?” Catherine asked. “What of me?”

Elizabeth bit her lip. “Mary will insist you join me.” Elizabeth believed that with all her heart. Catherine was probably their half-sister, however strongly the secret was denied, however deep it was buried.

A tear slid down Catherine’s cheek. “What if I refuse?”

“You will be punished. We are to be examples to the world.”

“Francis said it would come to this,” Catherine said, shivering. “He leaves for Geneva next week to see about creating a haven for English reformists.”

“You would rather leave England than submit?” Elizabeth asked.

“It is different for us,” Catherine said. “You have too much here to lose.”

Elizabeth recalled her brother’s reign, the rumors that Mary had considered escaping to Spain. Had she done so, Jane Grey would still be Queen of England, permanently ensconced on the throne she had stolen. If Elizabeth left, she would forfeit all rights.

“What about your children?” Blanche asked Catherine. “What will you do with them?”

“Francis is taking Henry with him now,” Catherine replied. “If we do flee, the children will come with us – they run as great a risk as we do.”

They all fell quiet as they contemplated the fear that had spurred such a solution. Finally, Elizabeth spoke. “Neither distance of place nor length of time can separate the love of friends. Whatever happens, I wish you all godspeed.”

“I hope it does not come to this,” Catherine said. “I would hate to leave you.”

Elizabeth patted her friend’s arm. “My heart may break over your absence, but you will never be far from its pieces. And if you need anything, I will make sure you get it.”

“Thank you,” Catherine said. “So many have promised the same.”

“Let others promise, and I will do,” Elizabeth said. “My power may be small, but I believe in deeds over words. And I would never forget or abandon you.”

Nothing Proved is available via
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Janet Wertman

By day, Janet Wertman is a freelance grantwriter for impactful nonprofits. By night, she writes critically acclaimed, character-driven historical fiction – indulging a passion for the Tudor era she had harbored since she was eight years old and her parents let her stay up late to watch The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R.

Her Seymour Saga trilogy (Jane the Quene, The Path to Somerset, The Boy King) took her deep into one of the era’s central families – and now her follow-up Regina series explores Elizabeth’s journey from bastard to icon.

Janet also runs a blog (www.janetwertman.com) where she posts interesting takes on the Tudors and what it’s like to write about them.

For more information about Janet and her books click on the links below
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Book Title: Nothing Proved
Series: Regina
Author: Janet Wertman
Publication Date: 19 May 2025
Publisher: Janet Wertman
Pages: 376
Genre: Historical Fiction